


Decisions, Decisions

by orphan_account



Category: Carol (2015)
Genre: F/F, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 20:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7282939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Therese managed a small laugh. “I suspect our neighbors are already aware of the nature of our relationship. We only moved in one bed.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Decisions, Decisions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emerla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emerla/gifts).



> This is mostly based on the movie. The only thing I took from the books were the ages of Carol and Therese.

“My how times have changed,” Carol mused. She then frowned, forehead crinkling in what looked like a moment of contemplation for the older woman. “I sound terribly old, don’t I?”

“Of course not. It’s a valid and understandable statement,” Therese assured her, a smile playing on her lips. It always amused Therese when Carol worried about being ‘too old’. She didn’t think that when they first got together and certainly didn’t think it now.

“In all my years I never thought we’d be living in a world where it was possible to be open about whom we love. Mr. Harvey Milk would never be able to do such a thing when we first met one another.”

Therese placed a kiss on Carol’s bare shoulder. “And are you truly alright with me taking photographs for that newspaper I told you about?”

She worked at the New York Times for years. Her passion for photography turned into a full time career that she loved but when Therese found a call for artist submissions for an up and coming newspaper, she couldn’t resist. 

If created, it would be first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper in New York City. Therese wanted to be a part of history. The only drawback would be the New York Times finding out about her true relationship with her ‘roommate’.

“I’m happy for you, Therese. Unbelievably happy. And you can always use a pseudonym.”

Therese sighed. “I still don’t have the amount of bravery Mr. Milk has. If I did, I wouldn’t be letting my photos become published under a pseudonym.”

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Carol chided.

“Carol, I’m not ashamed of you. I-I never want you to think that.”

“And I don’t. The fact that you are with me is enough. You don’t need to shout your love for me or lesbianism from the rooftops.”

Therese managed a small laugh. “I suspect our neighbors are already aware of the nature of our relationship. We only moved in one bed.”

“Let them gossip then. I imagine some of them have little else to do. Like. Ms. Henley. She is nearing eighty if I recall.”

“I’d rather not discuss Ms. Henley while we are in bed, Carol. Actually, I’d rather not think of the woman at all. She is rather horrid, isn’t she?”

It was Carol’s turn to laugh before nodding in agreement with Therese’s statement. She moved closer to Therese and kissed her gently. “Then let’s put the discussion off for another time. We have more pressing matters to attend too.”

When her pictures were indeed chosen for the first issue, Therese decided to use a pseudonym. She would be lying if she didn’t think about using her real name.

Family didn’t matter-- most of them knew the truth about her and Carol and if they didn’t, they deduced it on their own. Therese remained mostly concerned about her job and what the fallout would be once her sexuality was discovered. 

For Carol, being open to her ex-husband, daughter, and lawyers in 1952 was more than brave. It seemed to be pushing more and more towards more public acknowledgement as the years passed on. As much as Therese admired Mr. Milk for doing such a thing, she didn’t think she was ready. She didn’t want to lose her job at the New York Times.

Therese pushed her internal struggle aside and continued publishing under her pseudonym until the sudden assassination of Harvey Milk splashed across screens and newspapers the next year. He’d been brave enough to be out about his life, push for change. It seemingly gave Therese the answer to the decision she’d been struggling with for the past year.

Next issue, Therese would be published under her real name rather than the pseudonym she’d been using. It wasn’t a decision Therese made lightly. She brought it up while they were laying in bed. Such discussions always seem to come up late at night when it was just the two of them.

“Are you truly alright with the newspaper using my real name?” Therese mentioned it briefly before but those were just late night mullings or probably considered nothing more than pillow talk to most. This was a serious, late night conversation. A big difference in Therese’s mind.

Carol drew her into a kiss. “You know I support you in any endeavor, Therese. I understand the drive use your real name in the wake of what happened to Mr. Harvey Milk. It would spur me to do the same.”

“As always I appreciate your support.” Therese shifted closer to Carol, enjoying the feel of bare skin against her own. 

It was a comforting feeling. 

She could recall the first time she felt it but that time it was too brief and rushed. Now they had all the time in the world, more or less. They didn’t have to worry about hiding from Harge or Rinny being prevented from seeing Carol. There were some tough years in the past but they were past it now.

Therese engaged Carol in another kiss. This kiss was longer and more passionate. When Therese broke it so they could both part for air, she looked up at Carol. It was an attempt to read her face. Carol already said that she was fine with it but Therese wanted to be sure Carol was fine with her decision to reveal her real name in the next publication.

She opened her mouth to ask but before Therese could even word the question, Carol spoke first.

“I told you I completely support your decision, Therese. Let our neighbors gossip and talk behind our backs if they want,” Carol murmured. “It will certainly not affect my business. You know how loyal my customers are. None of them will refuse my business if you do this.”

“I’ll do it then.”

When Therese finally said the words out loud, it was like a weight lifted off her shoulders.Therese knew there would be hard times ahead but she was sick of hiding. Starting tomorrow there would be no more of that.


End file.
